Follow Us

More

Ashton Kutcher to Play Apple's Steve Jobs in 'Jobs' Biopic

When you think of an actor to play one of the most important world-altering technological innovators of the last century, naturally the face of Ashton Kutcher comes to mind, right? Well, if your response to that question is a resounding "No!" then you are likely to be (shocked?) (appalled?) at the news that the Two and a Half Men star is attached to play Apple founder Steve Jobs in the biopic, Jobs.

[SIDE NOTE: For those with good memories, Jobs is actually the second Steve Jobs biopic currently in development; Sony recently snagged the rights to Walter Isaacson's book Steve Jobs, and the studio was last seen courting Oscar-winning Social Network and Moneyball screenwriter Aaron Sorkin to write the script.]

Variety reports that Jobs is being directed by Joshua Michael Stern, the man who helmed the Kevin Costner vehicle Swing Vote in 2008 - the script is being written by Matt Whiteley.

Of course, the biggest thing that's going to come of this news is the outcry amongst fans of the late Steve Jobs, who will likely protest that Kutcher is in no way, shape, or form qualified to portray the technical genius. Then again, early details of Jobs point to the film exploring how its titular figure went from being a counter-culture youth (read: hippie) to the head of one of the most innovative and respected technological brands in the world. From that angle, it's easy to see why Kutcher was an attractive prospect (no pun) - nevermind the surprising physical resemblance between the two (see header image)...

Still, the thought that of Kutcher bringing even a millisecond of his Michael Kelso schtick from That '70s Show to the life story of Steve Jobs is enough to make one shudder. Movies like The Guardian, Bobby and The Butterfly Effect have proven that Kutcher does in fact have the range for drama; but those examples are far outweighed by his pattern of taking on questionable comedic roles (Killers, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, What Happened in Vegas, Just Married, Dude, Where's My Car? - need I go on?).

Right now, if you were to hold up two films about Steve Jobs and say, "This one stars Ashton Kutcher, the other was written by Aaron Sorkin," I know which movie I'd hand over my ticket money for. How about you?

In the meantime, we'll keep you updated on the progress of both Jobs and that Steve Jobs biopic over at Sony.